Tamper evident check valve apparatus for use in a beverage bottle and method of use

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for preventing the adulteration or substitution of beverages such as premium liquors disposed in bottles having a neck. The apparatus preferably comprises the use of a check valve which is protected from manipulation or tampering by screens and/or by lodging the apparatus loosely in the neck of the bottle so that tampering will result in its being dislodged and falling into the beverage bottle and/or by the use of a frangible reservoir containing a harmless dye to discolor the beverage in the event of tampering. The invention also contemplates the method of preventing the adulteration or substitution of beverages including the steps manufacturing the apparatus, filling the beverage bottle with the beverage, inserting the apparatus to prevent adulteration or substitution in the neck of the bottle, closing the bottle, disposing external indicia on the bottle to call the consumer&#39;s attention to the protective apparatus, and publicity associated with educating the public concerning same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to the field of beverage containers andthe protection of their contents from adulteration or substitution. Morespecifically it concerns the use of a check valve intended to be placedin such containers as liquor bottles preferably disposed in the neck ofthe bottle after the bottle has been filled with liquor and before it iscapped. Also contemplated is the method of use.

2. Description of the Prior Art

It is well known that premium name brand liquors are sold to bars,restaurants and the general public usually in glass bottles. Bars andrestaurants customarily charge a higher price for drinks made withpremium brand liquors commonly referred to as “call brands.”

One problem with this is that some unethical retail establishments takeempty premium brand liquor bottles and surreptitiously refill them withinferior, cheaper product for which they can charge premium brand pricesbecause the consumer erroneously believes that his or her drink is beingpoured from a premium brand liquor bottle. This subterfuge is usuallyeffective because the consumer may not be discriminating enough to tastethe difference, especially after the first alcoholic beverage has beenconsumed, and there is no way that the consumer can prove what hasoccurred even if he or she is sufficiently discriminating to notice thedifference.

It is in the interest of both the distilleries that manufacture andbottle premium liquors and the consumers that purchase and consume themto have an inexpensive way to prevent such conduct. The presentinvention provides a solution in the form of a small check valveinserted into the neck of a liquor bottle immediately after it is filledwhich allows the contents to be poured out but prevents anything beingpoured back in the bottle, and which includes devices that will make anytampering with the check valve readily evident. These includeconstructing the check valve so that any tampering will result with itor a part of it being dislodged and dropping into the bottle orincluding a dye in a readily frangible portion of the check valve sothat tampering results in the breaking of the frangible portion andrelease of the dye into the liquor to discolor it. Such dye would, ofcourse, be harmless for consumption if the discoloration was not noticedsuch as can occur in a dimly lit lounge.

A search of the prior art has not revealed any reference directed to acheck valve aimed at preventing adulteration or substitution of abeverage that is disposed in the neck of a bottle. The closest referencelocated is Fipp, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,578 for a stopper apparatusfor content contamination prevention. It is a very complex apparatusthat comprises a stopper plug, a bladder attached thereto, a ventingvalve for venting gas within the bottle, a pump for inflating thebladder and a reservoir valve and inert gas reservoir. The way it worksis that the bladder is inserted into the bottle and the stopper plugssecured within the neck thereof. The bladder is filled within the bottleforcing the gas therein to escape through the venting valve. The stopperapparatus is adapted to enable a small quantity of heavy inert gas to bedeposited into the bottle from the inner gas reservoir prior to fillingthe bladder, which is to form a protective layer of inert gas over thesurface of the bottle's contents. Such a device has more applicabilityto wine rather than premium liquors, but possibly is nonethelessrelevant to patentability of the present invention.

Other substantially less relevant references disclosed by the searchinclude Berresford, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,129 entitled Preservingthe Contents of Beverage Containers, Hojnoski, U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,548entitled Cork Stopper for Bottles of Wine, Schulz, U.S. Pat. No.3,951,293 for a gas-permeable, liquid-tight closure, Wong, U.S. Pat. No.6,651,834 for a Bottle Stopper with Pressure Indicator, Schneider, U.S.Pat. No. 4,763,803 entitled Stopper for a Container such as a Bottle,and a Pump Connectable Thereto for Extraction of Gaseous Median from orPumping in Thereof into the Container, Wanke, U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,657for Dispensing Closure with Nonrigid Follower, Hajianpour, U.S. Pat. No.6,929,135 entitled Stopper and Straw Within a Bottle Preventing Leakageand Providing for Drinking a Beverage, Hughes, et al., U.S. Pat. No.6,523,711 entitled Automatic Valved Bottle Cap for Use with LiquidContainers, and Lane, U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,043 entitled Dispenser forVintage Wines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Bearing in mind the foregoing, it is a principal object of the presentinvention to provide an apparatus in the neck of a beverage bottle toprevent the alteration or substitution of its contents.

It is a related principal object of the invention to dispose saidapparatus in the neck of a bottle in a manner that it will become easilydislodged and fall out of the neck of the bottle into it if it is theobject of any tampering.

An alternative related principal object of the invention was toconstruct the apparatus to prevent adulteration or substitution with afrangible reservoir containing a harmless edible dye such as foodcoloring, which dye would be readily released to discolor the beverageif there is tampering with the apparatus preventing adulteration ordiscoloration of the beverage.

Another principal object of the invention is to employ a check valve asa device to prevent adulteration or substitution of the beverage.

A further object of the invention is to employ a simple flapper valve asthe check valve preventing adulteration or substitution of the beverage.

An additional object of the invention is to dispose the check valvebeneath one or more screens to prevent external manipulation of thecheck valve.

Another object of the invention is to employ external indicia to callthe consumer's attention to the apparatus preventing adulteration orsubstitution of the beverage so that the consumer will look for evidenceof tampering with the apparatus preventing adulteration or substitutionof the beverage.

A further object of the invention is to view it as a method involvingthe manufacture of the apparatus to prevent adulteration or substitutionof a beverage in a bottle, filling of the bottle with the beverage,insertion into the neck of the bottle of the apparatus to preventadulteration or substitution, publicizing to consumers the existence andappearance of the apparatus to prevent adulteration or substitution,consumer observation of evidence of tampering with the check valve toprevent adulteration or substitution, and consumer proactivity with theretail establishment to refuse to purchase or consume the beverage.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled inthe art upon reference to the following descriptions and the drawings.

In accordance with a principal aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a apparatus to prevent adulteration or substitution of abeverage in a bottle which is disposed in the neck of the bottle andincludes a second apparatus to make tampering evident to a consumer.Said apparatus will preferably be comprised of a check valve such as aflapper valve which allows the beverage to be readily poured through theapparatus and out the neck of the bottle but prevents addition of anybeverage to the bottle. It will further be comprised of one or morescreens to prevent external manipulation of the check valve and provideevidence of tampering. Alternatively, the apparatus to preventadulteration or substitution will be equipped with a frangible reservoircontaining dye which will be readily apparently in the event oftampering to discolor the beverage and provide evidence to the consumerof tampering.

In accordance with another principal object of the invention, there isprovided a method to prevent the adulteration or substitution ofbeverages sold in bottles having a neck wherein a apparatus to preventsaid adulteration or substitution is manufactured, the beverage bottleis filled with beverage, the apparatus to prevent adulteration orsubstitution is disposed in the neck of the bottle, the bottle iscapped, external indicia is applied to the bottle to call attention tothe apparatus to prevent adulteration or substitution, the process ispublicized to educate consumers to look for evidence of tampering withthe apparatus to prevent adulteration or substitution, and the consumeris proactive in objecting to the use of beverages poured from bottlesmarked with the indicia in which the check valve is either absent, hasbeen damaged, or the beverage is discolored by a harmless dye such asfood coloring.

The invention will be better understood upon reference to the appendeddrawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation broken view of the top of a liquor bottleshowing the preferred embodiment of the invention comprising of upperand lower screens and an outer and inner shell and using a two sidedflapper check valve.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation broken view of the top of a liquor bottleshowing as an alternative embodiment a simple form of the inventioncomprising a single screen on a single shell and using a single flappercheck valve.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a second alternative embodiment of the shells absent theflapper valve and containing a reservoir for dye.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the second alternative embodiment of FIG.4 including the two sided flapper valve of the preferred embodimentshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 and showingthe two screens.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the second alternative embodiment of FIG. 4showing the two screens.

FIG. 8 is a broken cross section taken through a diameter of a pourspout that is alternatively disposed above check valve in the neck of abottle.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the pour spout of FIG. 8 after its removalfrom the bottle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosedherein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodimentsare merely exemplary of the invention which may be embodied in variousforms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosedherein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis forthe claims and as a representative bases for teaching one skilled in theart to variously employ the present invention in virtually anyappropriately detailed structure.

References now made to the drawings, wherein like characteristics andfeatures of the present invention shown in the various figures aredesignated by the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 1, a check valve 10 is disposed within the neck 12 of a liquorbottle 14 having threads 16 to accommodate a sealed cap (not shown). Thecheck valve 10 preferably includes an outer shell 18 and an inner shell20 that are both disposed about the inner circumference of the neck 12of bottle 14. The outer shell 18 supports an upper screen 22 whichcovers the entire opening in neck 12 and allows the free flow of abeverage such as liquor out from the neck 12 of bottle 14. The innershell 20 supports a lower screen 24. Upper screen 24 covers the entireupper surface of inner shell 20). Both upper screen 22 and lower screen24 allow free flow of the liquid contained in bottle 14 through neck 12but act to prevent tampering with whatever structure is used toaccomplish check valve functions.

By way of example and not limitation, the check valve illustrated inFIG. 1 includes two flapper members 26 & 28 which are pivotal abouthinge point 30. When flapper members 26 & 28 are in the raised positionshown in FIG. 1 they allow free flow of the beverage out of bottle 14.When the distal ends of flapper members 26 & 28 are lowered to restagainst bed members 32 & 34 they prevent entry into the bottle of anyadulterating or substituting beverage poured into neck 12 of bottle 14.

Outer shell 18 has a diameter such that it will stay in position in theinterior of neck 12 so long as it does not sustain any impact from asolid object, while at the same time is easily dislodged if pressure isbrought to bear on upper screen 22. Any attempt to tamper with outershell 18 or upper screen 22 will result in the entire check valve 10being dislodged from the interior of neck 12 and falling into thebeverage contained in bottle 14. As later discussed in regard to themethod of use aspects of the present invention, the consumers' attentionwill be alerted to the required presence of check valve 10 by indiciadisposed on the exterior of the bottle 36 where the check valve 10 issupposed to be, and where its absence is a warning against adulteratedor substituted beverages. Alternatively, outer shell 18 can be morerigorously attached within neck 12, but attempted tampering willdislodge inner shell 20, lower screen 24 and check valve 10.

In accordance with the method of use of the present invention it iscontemplated the manufacture of a check valve apparatus 10 to preventadulteration or substitution of a beverage in a bottle 14 and filling ofthe bottle 14 with a beverage, insertion into the neck 12 of the bottle14 of the check valve apparatus 10 to prevent adulteration orsubstitution, publicizing to consumers the existence and appearance ofthe apparatus 10 to prevent adulteration or substitution, drawing theconsumers' attention to the presence or absence of the check valve 10 byindicia 36 disposed on the exterior of neck 12 of bottle 14, andconsumer observation of the absence of check valve 10 to preventacceptance of a presumptively adulterated or substituted beverage.

Turning now to FIG. 2, where is shown a more fragmented portion of neck12 of bottle 14 illustrating as an alternative embodiment of the checkvalve apparatus 10 at a cross section showing shell 38 having screen 40supported thereon. On the lower edge of shell 38 is interiorlyprojecting bed member 42, upon which at one point on its circumferenceis pivot point 44. From pivot point 44 is hingedly mounted flappermember 46, which when raised as is shown in FIG. 2 allows the out flowof the beverage contained in bottle 14, and when lowered to contact bedmember 42 prevents the down flow of any adulterating or substitutionbeverage poured into the opening of neck 12 of bottle 14.

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the checkvalve apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1. Upper screen 22 is shown above outershell 18 to which it is attached by an adhesive in practice (not shown).Lower screen 24 is shown above inner shell 20 to which it is alsoattached in practice by an adhesive (not shown). The check valveapparatus 10 shown with flapper members 26 & 28 which rotate about pivotpoint 30. Bed members 32 & 34 which cooperate with the ends of flappermembers 26 & 28, when lowered, are also seen.

FIG. 4 shows a second alternative embodiment in which outer shell 18contains an inner circular channel shaped member 48 which when connectedto outer shell member 18 forms a circular reservoir 50 to contain anedible dye such as food coloring. The upper surface 52 of circularchannel shaped member 48 supports lower screen 24 as a substitution forinner shell 20 shown in FIGS. 1 & 3. Outer shell 18 also supports upperscreen 22. Reservoir 50 being enclosed by outer shell 18 and circularchannel 48 is frangible so it will readily rupture in the event of anattempt to tamper with the check valve mechanism 10 as shown in FIGS. 1,2, & 3.

FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of the second alternative embodiment asshown in FIG. 4. Upper screen 22 is shown above outer shell 18. Lowerscreen 24 is shown above circular channel member 48, which, in turn, isshown above the double flapper members 26 & 28, pivot point 30 and bedmembers 32 & 34. It will also be understood that the arrangement of thescreens, reservoirs, and the like can be varied in numerous ways, andall such variations are within the contemplation of the invention. Itwill further be understood that the invention contemplates that variousdifferent designs for check valves exist, and all these variations areincluded. The present invention is not limited to flapper member checkvalves.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the check valve apparatus 10 showing upperscreen member 22 beneath which can be seen looking through upper screenmember 22 lower screen member 24.

In FIG. 7 upper screen member 22 has the same diameter as in FIG. 6 andlower screen member 24 has a smaller diameter because it is of thesecond alternative embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 & 5 because of theenlarged upper surface of outer member 18 of the second alternativeembodiment.

FIG. 8 is a broken cross sectional view of the top bottle neck 12showing threads 16. It shows a pour spout 54 which is disposed toopenings 56 & 58. Openings 56 & 58 alternate as a fluid exit and anambient air entrance into bottle neck 12. That is when opening 56 isused to pour the beverage from bottle neck 12 opening 58 allows ambientair to enter bottle neck 12 and thereafter bottle 14 as shown in FIGS. 1& 2.

Finally in FIG. 9, a top plan view is shown of the pouring spout 54 ofFIG. 8 after the same has been removed from bottle neck 12. It alsoshows openings 56 & 58.

While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shownin various terms or certain embodiments or modifications which it hasassumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be,nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such othermodifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings hereinare particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth andscope of the claims here appended.

1. Apparatus disposed in a beverage container having a neck and a pouropening to prevent adulteration and substitution of the beveragecomprising: a check valve disposed in the neck of the container; and ashield to inhibit tampering with the check valve.
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1 in which the check valve is sized to fit in the neck of thecontainer well enough to not be dislodged and fall into the container bybeing jostled or by the beverage being poured through it, but will beeasily dislodged and fall into the container by efforts to tamper withit.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the check valve includes aflapper member allowing the beverage to flow out of the container, butpreventing adulterating and substitution substances from entering thecontainer below the check valve.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 in whichthe shield is a screen disposed between the check valve and the pouropening.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 which further comprises: an annularshell disposed in the neck of the container; a check valve disposedwithin the annular shell; and a screen attached to the annular shell anddisposed between the check valve and the pour opening.
 6. The apparatusof claim 1 which further comprises: a outer annular shell disposed inthe neck of the container; an upper screen attached to the outer annularshell; an inner annular shell disposed within the outer annular shell; alower screen attached to the second annular shell; and disposed betweenthe check valve and the pour opening; and a check valve disposed withinthe second annular shell beneath both the upper and lower screens. 7.The apparatus of claim 6 in which the upper screen and lower screen areliquid permeable to allow free flow of the beverage contained in thecontainer through the neck to the pour opening but act to inhibittampering with the check valve.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6 whichfurther comprises a flapper member in the check valve.
 9. The apparatusof claim 6 which further comprises a double flapper member in the checkvalve.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1 which further comprises indicia onthe neck exterior to call a consumer's attention to the apparatuspreventing adulteration or substitution of the beverage.
 11. Theapparatus of claim 1 which further comprised a pour spout which isdisposed between the shield and the container pour opening which pourspout includes at least two apertures which alternate with each other asa beverage exit and an ambient air entrance into the container. 12.Apparatus disposed in a beverage container having a neck and a pouropening to prevent adulteration and substitution of the beveragecomprising: an annular shell member disposed in the neck of thecontainer, the annular shell member having an inner circular channelshaped member connected to the annular shell member to form a circularreservoir; an edible dye disposed in the circular reservoir; a checkvalve disposed within the annular shell; and a screen attached to theannular shell and disposed between the check valve and the pour opening.13. The apparatus of claim 12 in which at least one of the innercircular channel shaped member and the annular shell member arecomprised of a frangible material such that efforts to tamper with thecheck valve will cause rupture of the circular reservoir and release ofthe edible dye into the beverage in the container to discolor thebeverage.
 14. The apparatus of claim 12 which further comprises a secondscreen disposed between the check valve and the pour opening.
 15. Theapparatus of claim 14 in which a periphery of the second screen isdisposed between a lower surface of the annular shell member and anupper flange of the circular channel shaped member.
 16. The apparatus ofclaim 12 which further comprises indicia on the neck exterior to call aconsumer's attention to the apparatus preventing adulteration orsubstitution of the beverage.
 17. A method for preventing theadulteration or substitution of beverages disposed in a beveragecontainer having a neck and a pour opening comprising the steps of:manufacturing an apparatus having a check valve intended to be disposedin the neck of the container and a shield to inhibit tampering with thecheck valve; and inserting the apparatus in the neck of the containerafter it has been filled with the beverage.
 18. The method of claim 17which further comprises disposing external indicia on the container tocall consumers' attention to the apparatus and to whether it is intact.19. The method of claim 17 which further comprises disseminatingpublicity associated with educating members of the public concerninginhibitation of the adulteration and substitution of beverages.